Method of and apparatus for processing yarn

ABSTRACT

YARN FROM A PACKAGE THEREOF IS THREADED THROUGH APPARATUS COMPRISING A TENSION LEVELING DEVICE, ELECTRIC HEATER, FALSE TWIST DEVICE, AND TENSION REDUCING DEVICE AND THEN FED DIRECTLY TO A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OR OTHER UTILITY. CLOSE TO THE HEATER AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SAME AND THE FALSE TWIST DEVICE IS MEANS WHICH EFFECTIVELY COACTS WITH THE TENSION LEVELING DEVICE TO RESTRICT TWISTING OF THE YARN TO THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF THE HEATER.

Dec. 14, 1971 R. c. SPURGEON 3,626,682

METHOD ORAND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING YARN Filed May 115, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.I

INVENTOR.

RICHARD C. SPURGEON ATTOR N EY.

Dec. 14, 1971 R. c. SPURGEON 3,626,682

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR YROCESSING YARN Filed May 115, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 1 1 n '1 l 2 l II III H'H :1 Hi 1 1: 4a 1130 mi lull/\ 11 glml FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

RICHARD C. SPURGEON ATTO R N EY.

United States Patent "ice 3,626,682 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING YARN Richard C. Spurgeon, RD. 2, Lansdale, Pa. 19446 Filed May 13, 1970, Ser. No. 36,975 Int. Cl. D02g 1/02, 3/00; D01h 7/92 U.S. Cl. 5777.3 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Yarn from a package thereof is threaded through apparatus comprising a tension leveling device, electric heater, false twist device, and tension reducing device and then fed directly to a circular knitting machine or other utility. Close to the heater and interposed between the same and the false twist device is means which effectively coacts with the tension leveling device to restrict twisting of the yarn to the downstream side of the heater.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of he invention This invention relates to the texturing of yarn by false twisting.

(2) Description of the prior art In the texturing of yarn by heating the yarn to a temperature sufficient to plasticize it and subjecting the same to twisting by means of a false twist device, it is conventional to heat the yarn to a selected high temperature in one zone and then cool it in a separate and distinct zone before passing it through the false twist device. As a consequence, the combined lengths of the several zones makes it impractical to adapt the apparatus for texturing the yarns and immediately feeding them directly to a circular knitting machine or other utility.

SUMMARY A principal object of this invention is to provide apparatus for texturing yarn by false twisting and characterized by an arrangement whereby the yarn is heated to a selected high temperature and thereafter twisted before it is cooled to any significant degree, which makes it possible to pass yarn through the apparatus and immediately thereafter feed the textured yarn directly to a circular knitting machine or other utility.

Another object of this invention is to provide such apparatus effective for restricting the twist zone in its entirely to the downstream side of the heater, as a consequence of which the yarn is in an untwisted condition when it passes through the heater.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such apparatus for processing yarn at the required high rate and for producing therein an unusually high number of twists per unit of yarn length for yarn processed at such a rate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation diagrammatically showing apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the heater shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on line IIIIII in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation on line IVIV in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The following description is directed to the specific'embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings. It is not addressed to the scope of the invention, which may be practiced in a variety of forms.

3,626,682 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus shown includes a tension leveling device 10, an electric heater 12, a false twist device 14 and a tension reducing device 16.

The tension leveling device 10 includes a roller 17. To the left of the roller 17 is a set of two laterally spaced standards 18 each embraced by a ring 20 and each provided with an eyelet 22 at the head thereof, and to the right of the roller 16 is a second set of two laterally spaced standards 24 each embraced by a ring 26 and each provided with an eyelet 28 at the head thereof. Reference may be had to my Pat. No. 3,323,753, issued June 6, 1967, for the essential features of the tension leveling device and for the principles of its operation.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, the heater 12 comprises a main body 30 with a longitudinally extending central opening 32 and two sets of two laterally spaced grooves 34 each respectively disposed on oppositely facing sides thereof. The grooves 34 on each side of the main body 30 are covered by a plate 36, and extending about the main body 30 and the plate 36 is a jacket 38 of ininsulating material. At the bottom of the heater is a plate 40 which carries a set of two eyelets 41 on the inlet side thereof each aligned with one of the grooves 34, and a set of two eyelets 42 on the outlet side thereof each aligned with one of the grooves 34. At the top of the heater is a plate 44 which carries a set of four eyelets 46, each aligned with one of the grooves 34. The central opening 32 accommodates a heating coil 48 energized by means of wire leads 50 connected to a suitable source of electric current (not shown).

Adjustably fixed to the base of the heater and depending therefrom is a plate 52 to which is atfixed a twist limiting stop plate 54. The plate 54 may be of any desired thickness. However, the longitudinally extending marginal portion 55 thereof preferably is provided with square edges, designated 57.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, the false twist device 14 comprises a pulley 56, a pulley 58 and a friction belt 60 arranged in such manner that through the belt 60 pulley 56 drives pulley 58. The belt 60 is circular in trans verse section. The device 14 also includes a bracket 62 of U-shape in transverse section. The belt 60 is disposed between the upright arms of the bracket, respectively designated 64 and 66. The arm 64 mounts a pair of laterally spaced eyelets 68, and the arm 66 mounts a pair of laterally spaced eyelets 70 respectively aligned with the eyelets 68.

The tension reducing device 16 includes a roller 72 underlying a member 74 of inverted U-shape and mounting a pair of laterally spaced eyelets 76 and a pair of laterally spaced eyelets 78 respectively aligned with the eyelets 76. The member 74 is carried by a rod 80 suspended from a tension spring 82 and extending through the coil of a stationarily mounted solenoid 84. The tension reducing device 16 basically is the same as that disclosed in my Pat. No. 3,377,672, issued Apr. 16, 1968, to which reference may be had for a fuller description of its construction and operation.

Two ends of untwisted mono'filarnent or multifilament yarn, respectively designated A and B, are drawn from yarn packages (not shown) and threaded through the apparatus. The yarn ends are threaded through the eyelets 22, passed downwardly along the standards 18 and threaded through the rings 20. Then they are passed under the roller 17 in contact therewith, threaded through the rings 26, passed upwardly along the standards 24 and threaded through the eyelets 28. Next the yarn ends are looped through the heater 12, being passed upwardly through the eyelets 41, the grooves 34 and the eyelets 46 on the inlet side of the heater, then downwardly through the eyelets 46, grooves 34 and eyelets 42 on the outlet side of the heater. When the yarn e issue from the eyelets 42, they are turned sharply to one side and trained along the upper surface of the plate 54, about the edges 57, fully in contact therewith, and along the undersurface of the plate 54 to the false twist device 14. It will be noted that the portion of the yarn path extending about the plate 54 is substantially in the form of a square loop. At the false twist device, the yarns are threaded respectively through the eyelet 68. Then yarn A is passed over the upper run of the belt 60 in contact therewith, and the yarn B is passed under the upper run of the belt 60 in contact therewith. Next, the yarns are threaded respectively through the eyelets 70 and extended to the tension reducing device 16. At the tension reducing device, the yarns are threaded respectively through the eyelets 76, passed over the roller 72 in contact therewith and then threaded respectively through the eyelets 78, from whence they extend directly to a circular knitting machine or other utility (not shown).

The roller 17 turns in yarn advancing direction at a speed which exceeds the linear speed of the yarn ends. Tension in the yarn is induced by resistance to movement of the yarn over the edges 57 of the plate 54. The yarn between the tension leveling device and the utility will bepredetermined in length for a desired yarn tension. With respect to each individual yarn A and B, when said length increases, the rings 20 and 26 are lowered, removing some of the yarn from engagement with the roller 17 and increasing slippage between the roller 17 and the yarn. Thus the amount of yarn passing under the roller 17 is reduced and the yarn between the tension leveling device and the utility is restored to its initial length. When said length decreases, the rings 20 and 26 are raised, causing a greater length of yarn to engage the roller 17 and decreasing slippage between the roller 17 and the yarn. Thus the amount of yarn passlng under the roller 17 is increased and the length of yarn between the tension leveling device and the utility is restored to its initial length.

The yarn tension on the downstream side of the plate 54 may be too high for the utility to which the yarn is being fed. Therefore, for best results, it should be reduced just before the yarn reaches the utility. To this end, the roller 72 turns in yarn advancing direction at a speed in excess of the linear speed of the yarn. If it is not desired to reduce the tension, the solenoid 84 is deenergized, whereupon the spring 82 raises the rod 80 and member 74 to a position for holding the yarn out of contact with the roller 72.

In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, except for the use of the false twist device 14 interposed between the heater 12 and tension reducing dev1ce 16, the apparatus as a whole basically is the same as that disclosed in my Pat. No. 3,377,672, issued Apr. 16, 1968, to which reference may be had generally for details of construction and principles of operation. Critical differences in the manner of operation of the apparatus, resulting from substitution of the twist limiting stop plate 54 for the sharp edged blade of my said patent, and from interposition of the false twist device 14 between the plate 54 and the tension reducing device 16, will now be pointed out.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, as noted hereinabove, the yarns A and B are trained respectively over and under the upper run of the belt 60, as a consequence of which the yarns are twisted in opposite directions, each about its central axis, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The twist in the yarn extends upstream from the false twist device 14 to the plate 54. The twist zone may be of any selected short length, but preferably is in the order of seven inches long. It will be evident that if the plate 54 is to function for the purpose intended. i.e., for restricting the twist in the yarn to the downstream side of the plate 54, the

tension in the yarn must be such that the yarn is drawn firmly about the plate 54. Any significant drop in yarn tension would render the plate 54 ineffective and cause the twist in the yarn to extend up into the heater 12. Then tension leveler 10, exercising tight control over yarn tension, effectively functions to prevent any such occurrence by maintaining the yarn tension uniform. Restriction of the twist zone to the downstream side of the plate 54 is advantageous because, for the production of false twisted yarn superior in quality, the yarn should be passed through the heater before being subjected to twisting.

As pointed out hereinabove, the twist zone is very shortin the order of seven inches long. As a consequence, no significant cooling of the yarn occurs in the twist zone, and the yarn is twisted before it has a chance to cool off. This makes it possible to effectively twist the yarn to an uncommonly high degree, considering the rate of processing-200 to 250 yards per minute for yarn processed and fed directly to a circular hosiery knitting machine, and a good deal higher when the utility is capable of taking up the yarn at a higher rate. Such yarn may be made into a fabric which has unusual stretchability and smoothness. The following table gives examples of highly twisted nylon yarns produced by the method and apparatus of this invention:

Type yarn Rate of Effective Temp. of No. of yarn length of heatertwists No. of movement, heater, degrees per filaments y.p.m. inches F inch As indicated hereinbefore, yarn processed by the apparatus and method of this invention has unusual stretchability. The results of tests made to illustrate this stretchability are given in the following table, wherein yarn made by the apparatus and method of this invention is indicated Spurgeon yarn. Skeins of yarn processed by selected producers and each carrying a weight of 3% grams on the lower end thereof were suspended in water at a temperature of F. and the resulting shrinkage noted. Then the same thing was done using comparable yarns processed by the apparatus and method of this invention.

Length of skein As indicated hereinabove, the effective cooling zone is on the downstream side of the false twist device. This makes it possible to arrange the apparatus in a manner sufficiently compact to permit mounting the same in relation to a circular knitting machine or other utility so that the textured yarn may be fed directly to the utility.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of false twisting a continuous thermoplastic yarn, the steps comprising (A) drawing continuous filament thermoplastic yarn from a source thereof to a utility across a pair of edges, the yarn approaching the first of said edges, withdrawing from said first edge and approaching the second of said edges, and withdrawing from said second edge moving along a portion of the yarn path substantially in the shape of a square loop,

(B) restraining said yarn to hold it against said edges and to induce predetermined tension in said yarn when a predetermined length of said yarn extends from said utility to a location upstream of said edges,

(C) compensating for variations in the length of the yarn extending from said utility to said location whereby to maintain the same uniform,

(D) heating the yarn in the portion of the yarn path upstream from said edges to a temperature sufficient to plasticize but insufficient to melt said yarn, and

(E) frictionally clutching said yarn at a point intermediate the second of said edges and said utility and thereby turning said yarn about its axis whereby to twist in one direction the portion thereof extending upstream from said point to the second of said edges, and whereby to turn in the opposite direction the portion thereof extending downstream from said point to said utility.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the yarn is constantly maintained in such firm engagement with the pair of edges over which it is drawn that the latter effectively limit the twist induced in the yarn to the downstream side of said edges.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the yarn heated is in that portion of the yarn path immediately upstream from the pair of edges over which the yarn is drawn.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the heating and twisting zones are separate but adjacent to each other, and the twisting zone is of such short length that the yarn is not cooled to any significant degree while passing therethrough.

5. The combination comprising (A) a source of yarn,

(B) a utility operable at least periodically for con-- tiniuously drawing yarn from said source,

(C) a member provided with a pair of edges,

(D) means for training said yarn over said edges for movement thereof along a portion of the yarn path in the shape or a substantially square loop,

(E) tension leveling means between said yarn source and edged member, said edged member being responsive to a predetermined yarn length between said tension leveling means and utility for developing resistance to movement of said yarn over said edged member whereby to induce a predetermined tension in the yarn on the downstream side of said edged member, said tension leveling means being operative for maintaining the length of yarn between said tension leveling means and utility uniform,

(F) a heater interposed between said tension leveling device and edged member and operable for heating the yarn to a temperature sufiicient to plasticize but insufficient to melt said yarn, and

(G) means interposed between said edged member and utility for frictionally gripping the yarn and twisting the same.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the edges about which the yarn is trained are those of a substantially thick plate member.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the edged plate member is stationarily mounted close adjacent the point at which the yarn issues from the heater.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the edged plate extends across an opening in the heater through which the yarn issues, and the edges over which the yarn is drawn are disposed a substantial distance to one side of said opening.

9. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the yarn gripping and twisting means is spaced from but disposed close to the edges about which the yarn is trained.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 126,483 5/1872 Perkins 57l06 2,346,358 4/1944 Busse 57l06 3,154,906 11/1964 Assendelft et al. 5777.4 X 3,323,753 6/1967 Spurgeon 242-147 R 3,482,384 12/1969 Berger 5777.4 X

DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 57106, 157 TS 4 STATES leg FEET OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION o, 3,626,682 b d December 14, 1971 Inven ,tor(s) v C. SPURGEON it is certified that errorap'pears in the ebove identified patent I and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, lines 49 and 50, "entirely" should read ---e'ntiretyr I Column 2, line 2Q, delete completely fin-Fl.

Column line 5,xchange "Then'f' to "The";- Column 4, line 53, that portion of the table under the heading Length of skein in inches, sub-heading Initial, change-the numeral o 27 r I Signedend sealed this 16th day of-May 1972. 1

(SEAL) Attest v EDWARD M.FLEICHER,JR.- r ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer v Commissioner of Patent s- 

